Android Users See Blue

TL;DR: Google Messages introduces Custom Bubbles for Android, allowing colour customization of RCS chats, but it won’t change the Android/iOS bubble colour differences.

The Arrival of Custom Bubbles

Android’s Google Messages introduces a feature that might ease the blue and green bubble debate. Announced last November, the Custom Bubbles feature allows Android users to personalise their RCS chat appearances. Notably, blue bubbles are a featured choice in Google’s promotional material, although other colours are also available.

Feature Availability

The feature is not yet available to all but has been seen by stable users recently, indicating its move beyond beta. It applies solely to RCS chats and does not extend to SMS. Users can access it by tapping the contact or group name within a chat and selecting “Change colours.”

Color Choices

Users are presented with nine colour options:

1. Default (Material You Dynamic Color)
2. Blue
3. Turquoise
4. Purple
5. Green
6. Orange
7. Fuchsia
8. Pink
9. Monochrome

If a chat is deleted or restarted, it reverts to the default theme.

Cross-User Synchronization

The new theme appears only for users who have the feature. If both parties have Custom Bubbles, their theme changes will sync across conversations.

Google Messages’ Growing User Base

Google has recently confirmed over 1 billion monthly active RCS users of Google Messages. The company suggests that colour-coding conversations can prevent messages intended for friends from mistakenly going to family groups.

Additional Features

Google has also introduced Photomoji and screen effects, turning photos into reactions and enabling animations for messages, enhancing interaction with more expressive replies.

iOS Compatibility?

Despite these advances, Google’s Custom Bubbles won’t resolve the Android/iOS bubble colour differences. Apple’s adoption of RCS will introduce iMessage-like features to Android-iOS messaging, such as read receipts and typing indicators. However, Apple maintains the blue bubble for iPhone-to-iPhone messages, with Android messages remaining green, citing security and optimal communication through iMessage.